Hackers exploit second DirectShow zero-day using thousands of hijacked sites
Thousands of legitimate Web sites hacked over the weekend are launching drive-by attacks using an exploit of a second critical unpatched vulnerability in Windows' DirectShow component, a Danish security company said today. Read more...

Update: Apple patching serious SMS vulnerability on iPhone

Court orders spammers to pay $3.7 million

'Jailbroken' iPhones leave users more vulnerable

Chinese security company shares huge malware database

Google: Spammers regroup after ISP takedowns

Michael Jackson's death spawns malware, more scams

Michael Jackson spam spreads, malware attacks likely

FTC suspends heavy penalty against scareware defendants

Defense Secretary Gates approves creation of U.S. Cyber Command

More Spam, Malware and Vulnerabilities Stories

Well-honed Attacks Sneak Under the Radar
Samples of documents used in carefully prepared targeted attacks make clear that while a suspicious eye is a great security tool, some especially dangerous attacks might slide right by you.

5 Steps to Secure a New PC
A common misconception is that a shiny new computer is more or less secure because it hasn't yet been exposed to the Internet's sinister underbelly. But the truth is, these machines come out of the box needing scores of patches, some basic security software downloads and the disabling or replacing of items security pros don't typically trust.

MS Security Essentials: Basic Protection
Microsoft today released a limited beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials, a free antivirus application for users of Windows XP, Vista, or 7. The new app, which will replace Windows Live OneCare, aims to cover the basic security needs of home users, and its easy-to-use interface appears to be taking the right approach to the task.

First Look: Microsoft Security Essentials
The beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials, a free program that fights viruses and spyware, is now available for download. The app, previously code-named Morro, replaces Windows Live OneCare and fights the usual rogues' gallery of PC threats, including worms, Trojans, and other troublemakers.

First Look: Microsoft Security Essentials beta offers free protection against malware
Microsoft's latest addition to its fleet of free applications, Security Essentials, is smaller, faster and more efficient but doesn't offer the wider range of features that security suites do.

A Plan to Secure the Federal Cyberspace
About this series: In a paper he wrote and published before President Obama's announcement regarding the creation of a national cybersecurity coordinator, Ariel Silverstone, CISSP, put forward his thoughts about the necessity of having a chief security officer for the United States. In this first installment, he discusses the need he sees for the role, his idea of placement, timetable, and the CSO's role definition. Silverstone also lists his vision for the first (of 23) tasks that he sees as essential for information security in the United States.

Cyberdefense center will lead in education
The Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) opened in May 2008 in Tallinn, Estonia, to assist NATO with technical, legal and policy issues associated with dealing with cyberwarfare incidents. The 20-person center includes civilian analyst Kenneth Geers, who works for the U.S. Navy's Naval Criminal Investigative Services. Geers, who has been with the center for about a year and a half, spoke about CCDCOE's mission on the opening day of the organization's first-ever Conference on Cyber Warfare on Wednesday.

How Microsoft Influenced Adobe Security In a Good Way
When I first started writing about information security five years ago, all a writer had to do was mention Microsoft in the same headline space as "security vulnerability" to strike page-view gold. In 2004 Microsoft was a couple years into its Trustworthy Computing Initiative but it remained the software company IT security practitioners hated with glee.

Adobe fixes security bugs in Reader, Acrobat
Adobe has released critical security patches, fixing 13 bugs in its Reader and Acrobat software.

Spam drops 15 percent after FTC Pricewert takedown
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's recent takedown of an Internet service provider thought to be a safe haven for spammers has reduced spam volumes, but only by a little.

Editors' Picks

Don't trash your tired old desktop PC -- pump it up with a few inexpensive upgrades. Microsoft's Windows 7 pricing plans may derail efforts to make users move away from XP and forget Vista. Also see Preston Gralla: Don't believe the $120 Windows 7 pricetag. Trademark owners say cybersquatting on the Web has gone too far -- and they're pushing back. The goal is to have all the original Lunar Orbiter image files processed by February, producing a moon atlas with a resolution higher than anything previously seen.

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Get the latest news, reviews and more about Microsoft's newest desktop operating system.

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File Integrity Monitoring: Secure Your Virtual and Physical IT Environments Learn how integrity monitoring software solutions enable IT organizations to achieve and maintain configuration control. Tripwire® Enterprise is the first solution to effectively combine configuration assessment and file integrity monitoring, enabling automated and sustainable configuration control throughout virtual and physical infrastructures. Addressing Compliance Initiatives with Tripwire and the Center for Internet Security Beyond PCI Checklists: Securing Cardholder Data with Tripwires Enhanced File Integrity Monitoring Configuration Assessment: Choosing the Right Solution IDC White Paper: CCM for IT Compliance and Risk Management Sustaining SOX Compliance: Best Practices to Mitigate Risk, Automate Compliance, and Reduce Costs Keep it Clean: Maintaining the Integrity of your CMDB through Change Detection The Tripwire HIPAA Solution: Meeting the Security Standards Set Forth in Section 164 Accelerate SSL Encrypted Applications The CIO's New Guide to Design of Global IT Infrastructure 2007 Gartner Magic Quadrant Report Extreme Savings: Cutting Costs with WAN Optimization An In-Depth Look at ROI The True ROI behind WAN Optimization Forrester Consulting - Optimizing Users and Applications in a Mobile World Case Study - Psomas Centralized Data Backup and Your WAN IBM Lotus Notes Performance Brief MarketVibe: Communications and Collaboration Needs at Business Organizations Shape Your Apps Strategy to Reflect New SaaS Licensing and Pricing Trends Natural User Interface for Enterprise Applications More White Papers

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